Newell speaks with Weis

Aaron Cedeño

06/16/2012

With 10 BCS offers already on the table, Hiawatha (KS) High defensive tackle Peyton Newell is one of the fastest-rising prospects in the Class of 2014. Friday, he and his father were on campus at the University of Kansas, to take in the program's "Friday Night Lights" camp and spend some time with Head Coach Charlie Weis.

Peyton Newell is well familiar with Kansas football, having attended camps and made visits to the Lawrence, Kan. campus in the past, but this time things were a little different.

This time, the 6-foot-3, 270-pound defensive lineman was visiting as a man with a scholarship offer from the Jayhawks.

Though he wasn't among the 100-plus prospects who participated in the program'S Friday Night Lights football camp, Newell did watch with a keen eye - as well as spend time chatting up the coaching staff, including Head Coach Charlie Weis.

"He just said he wanted me to come back as soon as I can," he said. "We're going to come back to have like a Peyton newell Day before June 28. So it went really well."

Thus far, Newell has been impressed with what he's seen from the Kansas coaching staff during their efforts to recruit him. He has a connection with all of them, and appreciates the experience they bring to the table.

Getting the opportunity to speak one-on-one with Weis was exciting as well.

"It was definitely good," Newell said. "When you get to sit down with the head man, that shows how much they want you and you're not just another recruit walking through the building."

Saturday, Newell heads to Nebraska for a Big Red Weekend event with a number of other prospects, and next week he will trip to Stanford.

Check back with Scout.com throughout the summer for more on his recruitment as it develops.